Singapore Preview

So 2 weeks after Monza and Hamilton's weekend of destruction of Rosberg, and the teams packing away the transporter trucks and paddock homes for the rest of the year its now a pure race for the title as the season is now 6 straight long slog flyaway races, until the seasons double pointer (personally think and know many others hate the idea) finish to the season, in Abu Dhabi.

Singapore has been the home of Red bull in recent years and in 2011, 2012 and 2013 Sebastian Vettel has reigned supreme here, with only Fernando Alonso stopping him in a long race slog back in 2010, where each followed each other from start to finish.

In the 6 years the race has been held in Singapore it has been won by 3 drivers and 4 different constructors.

2008 - Fernando Alonso - Renault
2009 - Lewis Hamilton - McLaren Mercades
2010 - Fernando Alonso - Ferrari
2011 - Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull Renault
2012 - Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull Renault
2013 - Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull Renault

So over all this is the longest race of the year, after we have had the shortest race of the year I normally sit tight and settle for the long slog of pretty much a 2 hour race unfolds in the night of Singapore.  Over the last 6 years the race times have been as follows:-

2008 - 1:57:16
2009 - 1:56.06
2010 - 1:57:53
2011 - 1:59:06
2012 - 2:00:26
2013 - 1:59:13

So normally the race is as close as can be to the 2 hour maximum race time.  The drivers struggle in the hot and stick confines of the race circuit and and it can is a long grueling tiring race.  There has never been any rain in Singapore and Practice one can be very quiet as it's the only time the race is run in any form of daylight and simulates nothing other than a systems check for the teams as conditions and light are so different come qualifying and the race.

So lets look at the circuit and see what we have in store, a typical street track stop and start with some flowing sections at the beginning and the end of the lap.



Overtaking is very difficult at Singapore and the following is a list of overtakes in the race.  (These are by passing out on track not through passing in the pit lane or pit stops and under the safety car.)

2008 - 10
2009 - 3
2010 - 26
2011 - 38
2012 - 49
2013 - 35

So don't go all out expecting a passing fest and most of the overtakes over 30 have come since the introduction of the DRS system in 2011.

In the next installment will be all the wierd and wonderful facts about the lovely race that is Singapore.